18 Mar HOW TO CHOOSE MUSIC FOR YOUR VIDEOS
Choosing music for your videos can feel tricky. You can spend so long scrolling, listening, trying things out… only to feel like nothing quite fits. Everything sounds fine, but not quite right. Not quite what you’re looking for.
The problem isn’t usually the music, it can be the way we’re looking for it.
It’s easy to search in a very practical way. To type in things like “cinematic” or “vlog music” or “upbeat track” and hope something lands. And sometimes it does. But often it doesn’t.
I like to start with a feeling first –
What did that moment actually feel like?
Was it slow and quiet and reflective?
Was it full of movement, with a kind of rhythm running through it?
Was it light, playful, or maybe a little heavy?
You’re not just looking for a genre anymore. You’re listening for something that feels familiar, something that matches the tone of what you experienced.
When you find it, you can feel it almost immediately and the music starts to feel less like an addition, and more like it belongs there.
Choosing the music comes early in the process for me, I would never finish an edit and then plonk music over the top. I find a track first, or at least early on in my edit, and let it guide the flow.
There’s something about having that rhythm in place, giving a structure to follow. You start to notice where cuts want to fall, where a moment might linger a little longer or where something can move more quickly.
I also find myself paying more attention to rhythm than anything else. Even the simplest track can completely change the way a video feels.
A steady beat can carry you through movement. It can hold together a sequence of clips from a busy day, or a journey from one place to another. It gives everything a sense of flow.
And then there are pieces that are slower, more spacious. Music that leaves room. Those tend to work so beautifully with quieter moments. A chance to linger on the small details or light changing. Things you might have otherwise rushed past.
It doesn’t need to be dramatic. It just needs to feel in tune with what’s already there.
Lyrics can be beautiful, and sometimes they add exactly what’s needed. But they can also pull your attention away from the footage, especially if the words are very clear or very specific.
More often, I find myself drawn to instrumental pieces, or music where the voice feels like another layer rather than the focus.
There’s also something to be said for choosing music you genuinely like because these videos aren’t only for now. At some point, you’ll watch them back. And when you do, it’s often the music that brings the emotion rushing back.
A certain piano note, or a particular rhythm, and suddenly you’re there again. Not just remembering what happened, but how it felt.
So sometimes I ask myself a slightly different question.
Not “does this work with the edit?”
But “would I want to hear this again in years to come?”
I’ve also noticed that my music choices tend to shift with whatever season I’m in.
Some weeks feel light and playful or there are weeks that feel slower, or more reflective, or a little heavier, and the tracks naturally change to fit those moods.
It’s about letting each video feel its own way.
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I guess that why I love Epidemic sound. It offers such a wide variety of music, and I find there’s always something that fits the different moods in my videos.
I’ve got into the habit of making playlists as I go. I’ll add the songs I’ve used in my videos, but I’ll also save tracks I come across while searching, even if they’re not quite right for the project I’m working on in that moment. There’s something about knowing they might be perfect for something later.
Gradually, those playlists become their own kind of resource.
A place to return to when I start something new, filled with music I already know I like, and that I know will likely sit well with the way I film and edit.
I’ve put together a playlist of many of the tracks I used in my weekly vlogs throughout 2025, including all the music featured in the video at the beginning of this post, if you’d like to explore.
2025 FAVOURITES – WEEK IN THE LIFE VLOGS
And the rest of my playlists are split into months. You can enjoy them here –
In the end, choosing music isn’t really about getting it right. It’s about noticing what feels good.
What brings your footage to life. And recognising that, over time, the music becomes part of the memory too.
If you’d like a bit more guidance to get started shooting and editing videos, I’ve created MAKE VIDEOS – 10 PROJECTS – a simple, creative course to help you actually make videos, not just think about it.
It’s made up of 10 guided projects you can follow at your own pace, designed to help you build confidence, get inspired, try new ideas, and enjoy the process of filming and editing your everyday life.
You can explore it here: MAKE VIDEOS – 10 PROJECTS TO TELL YOUR EVERYDAY STORIES
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